


Bones Park

by cardinalwrites



Category: SPN, Supernatural
Genre: Destiel - Freeform, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, canon AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-03-16
Packaged: 2018-10-06 00:34:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10321352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cardinalwrites/pseuds/cardinalwrites
Summary: Dean is in a dog park of all places until he sees a familiar face. Only, why is it so familiar?





	

They met at a dog park. 

Which is weird in and of itself because a) Dean hates driving dogs in his baby; b) it's not even his dog; and c) He's still pissed at Sam for skipping out on him and their dad only to come back with a dog sized golden retriever he named  _Bones_  of all things.  _Jesus, Sam, you’d think you’re have a little more imagination considering you hid from one of the best damn trackers for two weeks only to name a dog after something we see every day._

Dean sighed to himself. All that and he still has somehow found himself on pooch duty in some dog park in the middle of Illinois of all things. 

“He is limping.” Dean turned to the sound of a gruff voice coming from right behind in. 

“Yeah well, he’s old.” His comeback was coming out before he got a good look at the guy he was talking to.

“Just because a dog is old does not mean that he should be limping, especially golden retrievers.” The man was speaking as if this was the most important thing Dean needed to know. Hell, maybe the guy just thought that way. “I would expect an experienced owner to know this.”

“Woah, pal,” Dean raised his hand to put some distance between them. He could practically see the inner pupil of the other guy’s eyes with how close he was to Dean. “ First off, I don’t know your name. Second off, the dog’s not mine. And third off, are you some kind of veterinarian or something?”

The other man regarded Dean through squinted eyes. If Dean didn’t know any better he could’ve sworn his soul was being looked into by how close this guy’s gaze was. It set off his hunter reflexes immediately. Did this guy know him? Was he gonna call the cops over Dean not being able to take care of a senior dog? The other man paused before looking down at his own hands, at which point Dean realized the other guy didn’t have a leash or anything to even remotely tag him as a dog owner.

“My name is Cas––Jimmy Novak. Forgive me, we have not met. If you are not the owner, than I can only assume you are related to them, and to answer your last question: No, I am not a veterinarian, just a man that has seen the extent of injuries prolonged by life.”  _Woah. Deep._

Dean looked at the guy.  _Okay. Weird. “_ So Cas or Jimmy––’cause don’t think I didn’t catch you making up a name–– I’m Dean. The dog’s my brother’s, but we just found him. His name’s Bones. Our dad’s gonna make us leave him at a pound nearby since we can’t take him with us. And that last part was deep.”

“Yes, I suppose so.” Cas  _(He flubbed the first part, so that’s probably got to be his real name)_ didn’t speak for a few minutes, electing instead to just watch Bones play with the other dogs. It felt odd but not in an uncomfortable way, the silence that stood between them.

“So, which one’s your’s?” Dean didn’t know why he wanted to keep the conversation running, but hey, he could relate to the things this guy had already said. And there was just something about him that screamed familiarity. Screw him if Dean didn’t want to find out why.

The question seemed to catch Cas off guard. “Erm, I actually just came to watch the animals.”

“What you get off by watching dogs or something?”

“No, Dean,” Cas sounded as if this wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation. It was odd, but Dean found himself strangely okay with how easy it was to talk to this dorky guy in a trench coat. “I just enjoy nature.”

“I’ll give you that, I guess.” Dean met the other man’s eyes and offered a smile. The other man returned it tenfold, and boy did it not make Dean’s heart skip upon seeing it along with it that same sense of nostalgia mixed with deja vu.  _I really need to figure out where I know this guy from._

Bones was barking in the background, having caught the attention of a Yorkie. It was enough to divert Dean’s attention to make sure Bones didn’t end up having Yorkie bacon for lunch.

“I’m not a fan of Yorkies. They run too fast for their size.”

He heard Cas laugh beside him, once again bringing back those feelings and strange senses with it. “It sounds as if you are speaking from experience.”

“No, just a thought I’ve had. I can outrun one, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“I’m sure you can, Dean.” Cas was looking at him with almost sadness in his eyes, the same sadness Dean would give if he knew he was talking to a ghost. What makes this whole thing weird is that Dean can feel it, too.

“Look man, I have to ask because it’s bugging me. But, do I know you from somewhere? Have we met?” Instantly, Dean knew the answer even though he couldn’t explain how.

“When we did, you’re first reaction was caused by upbringing.” Cas didn’t even sound surprised at the question, like he was expecting it. 

Dean paused for a beat, digesting the information. “So you’re saying what, you’re from the future?”

Castiel turned to him with the same seriousness he’d used when he was accusing Dean of animal cruelty “... Yes, to a degree; one where it has been a long time since I have seen you. One where we are friends and been through countless battles together. One where you never show your limp even though we both know your bones have broken far too many times than I can count. One where I have spent days trying to figure out how to bring you back.” There’s that sadness grating Cas’s voice again. The guy looks like he’s on the verge of tears. Dean felt it too somehow, though he’d spent years figuring out why. He suddenly felt tired.

“... We’re not just friends are we.” It wasn’t a question, but Dean was hopeful of the answer.

Cas huffed, an unexpected emotional smile showing up as if the question was absolutely too absurd to be considered. “We’re more than that, more than anything I had ever thought imaginable, but to tell you anything more would jeopardize your safety.”

Hearing the first part filled Dean with a joy he never thought he’d feel and yet he knows he’s felt before. The second part caught his attention for an entirely different reason. “Why? Why do I feel like I know you and you’re not telling me everything?”

To his credit, Cas looked like he wanted to. He wanted to tell Dean more than anything. “I can’t. It has to be your decision. You have to figure it out.” Cas sounded like he was about to admit defeat. It was all up to Dean now.

Dean understood, but not before he found himself gravitating to try to comfort the almost complete stranger to him. Though to be honest, he never felt like a stranger had he? “You do what you gotta do, Cas. I’ll figure this out.” He was about to reach out to touch the man’s shoulder when he felt a pull. Something was holding him back, preventing him from touching Cas.  _What the hell?_

“I’m sure as well, Dean Winchester. You’ve always figured it out.” Hearing his name come from Cas caused something to stir in his mind.  _Cas... Cas, I do know that name._ His body started getting more tired and the people in the park looked like they were disappearing. Bones’s bark sounded off.  _Cast... Casti..._

_I know that name!_

“Am I dreaming, Cas?” The words were out of Dean’s mouth before he could process them. It was starting to make sense, why Dean was in a place he wouldn’t otherwise be, with a dog Sam never brought back with him. His dad wasn’t still alive. It’s been years since John died, way longer. And he was getting more and more tired by the minute. There was only one explanation.

He had to be dreaming. 

Dean’s eye’s widened upon the realization, causing a chain reaction in Castiel as he raised his arm. “That is all I need. Stand back!”

Instinctively, Dean reached up to protect his face, but no harm came to him. Castiel punched through a barrier wall between them, shattering the world around him as the dogs became clouds of smoke warehouse taking their place. It was dark, musty, and tasted of copper. Oh wait, that was Dean tasting the blood in his mouth.

He remembered everything then, like a flashback gone wrong. A djinn had attacked him while he and Cas had been on a hunt. It had sucked everything from him, but in order for him to not figure it out he’d been put in a world where he’d never met Castiel; where he’d never met his angel. The only way Cas got in was by siphoning his grave to get into Dean’s dream. Cas ripped the needle out of his arm as Dean’s eyes started to close.

“Dean!” He felt arms wrap around him as fatigue crashed into his body, the dream wearing off into the brutal reality. “Dean! Open your eyes, you have to open your eyes!”

And Dean did, but not without difficulty. He found blue all around him, Castiel’s face so close that he could see the tears flowing freely. “Castiel,” He breathed. His voice was raspy.  _I know that name. I love that name._

“Castiel... Heya, Cas.”

Castiel shuddered. “Hello, Dean,” his voice broke before he planted a chaste kiss on the hunter’s lips. “Welcome back.”

Dean chased after Castiel and rested his forehead against his angel’s. “It’s good to be home. Real home.”

“We need to get out of here. The djinn is dead, but you need rest.”

“Sounds fair, and Cas?”

“Yes, Dean?”

“Let’s never go to a dog park.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on [tumblr!](http://www.cardinalwrites.tumblr.com)


End file.
